Harmful agents such as smoke, carbon monoxide gas, natural gas, or propane gas may unknowingly exist for significant periods of time in areas of dwellings before the occupants are warned through conventional environmental condition detector systems. Even with a plurality of conventional detectors, occupants in remote locations of an involved dwelling may not be able to hear the local alarm horn, know where the problem exists, or know what type of problem has been detected based on the audible tonal alarm pattern alone.
A need exists for environmental condition detection systems that can effectively provide an early warning to dwelling occupants in remote locations or levels away from the source of the environmental condition and can provide a means for lighted areas and paths of egress while doing so in a cost effective and simple manner. Such a system should be easy to install and operate to encourage usage.
Environmental condition detectors designed for remote sensing are commonly electrically hardwired to a central annunciator/controller panel to indicate the location of the environmental condition within a building. Unfortunately, only some businesses and few residences are currently equipped with hardwired detection systems with centralized smoke/fire annunciator panels.
Installing and retrofitting of remote environmental condition detection systems within buildings and residences without centralized annunciator panels is greatly facilitated with the environmental condition detector system described herein. Such detectors can incorporate wireless, for example radio frequency, intercommunication capabilities, to verbally indicate the location of the detector which sensed the environmental condition in a remote location. The type of environmental condition detected can be verbally indicated. Areas and paths of egress can be illuminated all without the need for a central control unit.